


Not Just Because You Trimmed the Smudge off the Picture Could It Make the Photo Genuine Again!

by Cerulean_Gaze



Series: Don't Leave the Film Strip Burn Under the Smoldering Light. [3]
Category: Gintama
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gekijouban Gintama Kanketsu-hen: Yorozuya yo Eien Nare | Be Forever Yorozuya, Gen, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-06
Updated: 2019-12-03
Packaged: 2021-01-24 06:20:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,892
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21333646
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cerulean_Gaze/pseuds/Cerulean_Gaze
Summary: After the successful alteration of the timeline from its impending destruction, the universe was forced to live on without its very soul— the main protagonist of the show.Not just because Hijikata was originally supposed to be the main character of Gintama that he managed to sashay his way to main protagonist team through this series— it was just the work of the forced fate's hands to continue the show with Hijikata's stead of distorted timeline.
Relationships: Hijikata Toshirou & Kagura, Hijikata Toshirou & Shimura Shinpachi, Hijikata Toshirou/Sakata Gintoki
Series: Don't Leave the Film Strip Burn Under the Smoldering Light. [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1528493
Comments: 2
Kudos: 36





	1. Prologue

_The Land of the Samurai—_

_There was a time, long ago, when our country was called by that name._

_With the arrival of the “Amanto” from outer space and the sword ban twenty years ago— the samurai class fell into decline._

_In such hard times, there was… <s>no one</s> left with the spirit of the samurai._

_… Or so as what I thought._

_I never had seen anyone with such soul as that, after all._

_Neither do I could call myself a samurai after letting my sister be taken away for the sake of our dojo._

_There are no days I don’t regret my cowardice of stopping my sister to come with the loan sharks which my poor father reached for back to the days he was still alive. Leaving us with a high debt left my sister no choice but to sell herself as a payment of those impossible credits we have inherited._

_I never forgot her fragile expression upon being held away as she spoke her last words to me…_

_"Shin-chan it's just like you said, nothing good will come by protecting this dojo—_

_You only feel pain. _

_But giving it up is also painful. _

_Things that you can't take back are painful to keep or throw away. _

_Since both ways are painful, I rather suffer protecting it."_

_… And all I could do is to suffer as well—_

_And that is to suffer with disgust and regret within myself._

_ 「 _ _ ⇲ _ _ 」 _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Up to the main body of the series!
> 
> (ah, how much i'm anxious doing this one— ;; if i could just find someone to beta-read this one... ;;)
> 
> Please do look forward for my further updates! Kudos and Comments are very appreciated! <3


	2. Chapter 2

The once clear skies of Edo had been now occupied by foreign ships of other planets.

Instead of being embraced by the gentle wind of Nature, it was only the polluted smokes of each and every ship that came along to the country that was known for long ago. Being the main terminal of every foreign species and existence, Edo held as the most important place of the world—

Or rather important for these unwelcomed, pompous creatures.

Aliens— or rather called as “Amanto”— could be seen in each and every corner of the city. From the government to the dirty streets of the poor, filth districts of the well-coated cities, these creatures had been virtually everywhere. It could be the most foreign place any people could be into, especially for those who had never been in Edo…

… Which reminds Hijikata the first time they took a step into the city of Edo.

Finding himself back to these streets filled with these strange species sometimes make him wonder if it was just a sick dream he used to have back then. From the years he and his group assigned to the main city, it wouldn’t still help Hijikata to compare and reminisce the days where only humans could be seen in this very ground they’ve been protecting ever since then. It was no mere human beings that he used to see as well— for these people never wield any blade on their side anymore.

_The Land of the Samurai— a name of the past._

It was a very honorable name to be held close within the hearts of its citizens, yet it will never be the same again after all the successful invasion of the foreign entities from another place.

No matter how many people sacrificed themselves just to fight for this country, it only ended up for them to lose not only their home to live in— but also to lose the lives they had been fighting for. It was painful enough and being a slave of their own country wouldn’t help either. Disgusting as it sounds, but it left everyone no choice but to move on along with the time.

And that very exact time does Hijikata finally reached the only home he was left to protect.

_‘The Shinsengumi Headquarters— the men living upon it.’_

“Good work for today, Vice commander!”

“Good work,” Hijikata merely replied from the salutations of every men he passed by.

The rowdy laughter of these men never failed to resonate throughout the building they’ve been staying into. Although known to be the main headquarter of the Police Force, most of the men were living under the same roof of their workplace— with Hijikata, of course, has never been an exception. There are sayings that work and personal life should never be mixed together, but most of these people had been living their whole life dedicated to the work, anyway. Hijikata never thought of it as a work _under_any organization, though— for it was only a single man that brought all of their lost souls together in unity.

_“Ah, Toshi! Good work for today!”_

Kondo Isao— the Commander of Shinsengumi— greeted with his hearty laughter united with the other’s hollers.

Hijikata just shook his head at the sight of these loud men scattered to the meeting hall— yet he hid a small smile as he closed the door upon entering the said room.

_“Is everyone here already?”_

He was contented enough of what he only has.

_Or so as what he had thought._

~

“Eight years ago, a business ship had been engaging into illegal activities that surpasses the laws. Making revisions of these laws would still take time for us to take an action against it— but the government already requested for us to investigate the background of the said business.”

The whole room was quiet as Hijikata stood right in front along with a set of documents in his hands. Some copies were distributed as the discussion about the current case goes on.

“Not only do its illegal activities impose danger of breaking the rules, but it was also speculated that their group has been involved in wide variety of cases that we’ve been handling up to this day. From a simple loan shark investment scam to an illegal human trafficking does the group also discretely participate on the sideline. Although no definite evidences could be used against them, there were obvious traces that connect them to these cases.”

“Pardon, Vice commander—“ One of the officers raised his hand. “Aren’t this case supposedly to be in the local cases?”

“If you are talking about the mentioned issues, it’s not all of that,” Hijikata spoke with a blunt expression, only to stare and gaze back to his papers. “They are also suspected from assisting local terrorism that has been lurking around the city these days.”

“The Gelhgih Corporation— owned by Takai Yoku— is known to be a lending company for any types of people. Take note of the _any types_ of people they lend their hand to— for it was actually _every_ people that could benefit the company. From other businesses down to the shady ones, that would probably sums up the power they hold within the areas.”

“Toshi,” Kondo held up his palm and stood up from his seat. “The primary concern is the involvement of the group to the terrorism, right? Maybe we should also look for the other sides since this business doesn’t only cover assistance—“

“But also covers their ever-growing greed,” Hijikata frowned upon reaching a certain point of the investigative report. Records of missing young women and men were incredibly high that were tied to the said company. “If they didn’t got what they want, then they will probably do what’s the usual shit they were up to.”

“Kidnapping them, then?” Sougo bluntly spoke from afar, eye mask tilted away from his dull orbs. “Or maybe killing them, rather.”

“So far, there are still a little number of deaths connected to them,” Hijikata followed up to the younger one, only glaring from the scoff Sougo took. “Kidnapping would probably the obvious answer to it.”

“It’s also reported that their business ship were related to illegal flying nightclub,” Kondo continued, pointing a text written to the report. “It’s one of the activities that aren’t still covered by the law— but such profanity without any records is a part of being an illegal corporation.”

“The High-Leg Nightclub,” Hijikata blew out a smoke.

“Guess it’s probably Takai-chan’s little kink,” Sougo huffed as he stretched up his arms.

“Well, who knows?” Kondo only laughed and smacked Hijikata on his back, choking him from the shock. “All we have to do is to continue what we had started today and do our best better than our finished cases!”

With the usual motivation of their commander, the night of meeting was finished that was immediately followed with the celebration of their latest successful case.

~

The moonlight shone down upon the lonely sky down to the faded polished of the wood Hijikata was walking into.

As soon as Kondo announced their celebration with booze, Hijikata managed to slip himself out from the flock of excited men attacking their commander. Judging by their laughter’s revival from their earlier state before the meeting, they probably started off already without him being noticed. It wasn’t like he was trying to avoid their simple celebration, but he was quite more interested of spending his free time alone at that very moment. He considered reviewing the resolved case for the last time before moving on to the next one, but he remembered reading it last night before then— leaving him nothing to do.

Hijikata just slip out to his uniform and into his gray yukata he usually used as civilian attire.

The night was still young to sleep away, so he went into a short walk outside of the barracks. There were still people passing by, most were probably from work as they held the burdened expression of tiredness on their faces. As he went deeper to the city, some noises resonates the earlier ones of his men’s as drunken men passed by with their shoulders from each other’s. Their carefree laughter sounded carefree enough to know that Hijikata was close to his destination— the only refuge from the filth-stained streets of Edo.

_The Kabuki-chou District._

Known for being the most unwavering district against the Amanto’s influences, the scarcity of those strange creatures on the streets were like just the old times most of the people craved for these days. Hijikata was familiar with how the district was ran by the earlier generations since it still holds the nostalgic ambiance the district held long ago— and it was impressive enough how it lasted up until to this day. From the soft lights of the streetlight up to the soft chatters of the families on their households, it was far different from the neon-lit streets and sleepless nights of the main city. Far different and far better than the latter— and peaceful enough to spend his only time tonight.

Hijikata took out a stick of cigarette and lit it up against the wind’s protests. The breeze of the night somehow soothed his sore body from his earlier work around the city, and its cold embrace was enough to ease the tension he had into his head. He just blew out a smoke and looked up to the sky, noticing the silver radiance of the moon. Even though he intended to spend the night away alone, the presence of the moon kept him from the solitary he was trying to conserve.

_Silver._

The strange event from the terminal caught Hijikata back to his train of thoughts as he walked aimlessly down to the streets of Kabuki-chou. It was still unclear to him of what really happened that day— though most of the people around him seemed to be on their normal state. Even Kondo noticed the strange state Hijikata was currently into as soon as they returned from the terminal, telling him something related to his excessive works. Of course, that would be normal for Kondo to be a concerned wart as what he is. Only the mentioned oddity of his performance made him questioned himself from that very day he collapsed at the terminal.

_That light… What is it all about?_

Hijikata paused and brought his palm to his forehead once again— easing the throbbing pain on the area. It always come to him whenever he recalls the event, and even the time was exactly at the moment he tries to remember anything close before he regained his consciousness from the terminal. The persistent occurrence of that phase always catch Hijikata’s patience in an unpredictable time, and that night is not an exception.

_Get ahold of yourself, goddamnit. _

He just shook his head and continued his walk.

The eased state he was earlier into just evaporated into his strained mind. It was a disappointment that it only lasted for a short while— but Hijikata knew himself better than the disappointment. He had to unknot the strangled thoughts _again_.

It suddenly reminds Hijikata of the strained expression of the two younger adults had when they asked him about someone before.

He couldn’t quite remember what their intention really is, but the terrified expression the two held just only indicated the delicacy of their personal conflicts. It was just out of the question why, of all people they could ask, they chose him to ask for somebody he doesn’t know. Well— _it was just dumb to think since he’s actually a policeman_— but it was something deeper Hijikata could comprehend from their expectation to his answer.

_It sounded like a desperate plea to him._

It’s such a waste of time to think over something pointless, too.

His thoughts finally came into halt as soon as a certain signage came into his sight. The flickering light of the signage indicates its impending loss, but it still hasn’t lost its purpose to catch anyone’s attention.

_“Welcome to ‘Otose Snack Bar’.”_

The old woman from the counter greeted to him upon entering the old establishment of the place.

Hijikata just nodded in reply and took a seat far to the end of the counter, turning his back to the other customers wheezing their night away with their beverages. The place wasn’t crowded enough for him to be disturbed to his quiet corner, and the light ambiance of the place was just enough for Hijikata to be fond of this place. He couldn’t say that he’s a regular customer, but he considered liking this place as a usual place to spend his lone time away with his reserved booze.

“Seems like we had a tough day, eh?” Otose smiled to him, placing the glass filled with sake in front of them. “It’s been the first time I saw you out of the uniform, though.”

“Mhm, got a load enough for today,” Hijikata simply replied with a swig to his drink. “A night out of that thick cloth wouldn’t hurt from the months I’ve been wearing it, anyway.”

It brought a quiet chuckle from the old woman.

Hijikata just stared down to the glass and watched his rippling reflection, finding himself floating back to the remnants of his earlier thoughts. Instead of having himself smitten back to those stubborn thoughts, he just took another swig and made his place together with the bottle by himself. It took a several glass of sake before the buzzing sensation of the alcohol took hold of his rampant thoughts, finally making him at ease of thinking over the things he was trying to talk out to himself. He always appreciates the distance the old woman placed between them, and that night isn’t any different of her usual sympathetic demeanor. No wonder why she was widely known to this district, he thought.

Before Hijikata could take another swig of his drinks, a sudden crash of broken glasses occurred from behind.

_“Hah! Pathetic! Are you really a samurai this country proud of back then?!”_

Hijikata turned his head and saw a familiar clothing of the Amanto bearing with.

_‘The Acinonyx Embassy?’_

With the similar features of a cheetah those Amanto bearing, he immediately recognized them and their stupid sense of superiority. There were three of them holding a bottle of their own beverages, and one human was kneeling down to the floor as he picked up the pieces of the broken glasses. One of the Amanto was covering the man from his sight, but the kick it blew to the man didn’t miss his sight at all.

Hijikata placed down his glass and stood up.

“Good riddance,” Otose frowned while shaking her head. “I wouldn’t mind _you_ make a mess inside this place for tonight, officer. Just go rid those idiots off to this place.”

“Sure thing,” Hijikata simply scoffed as he held his sheathed blade from his side.

As the Amanto took a grip from the man’s collar with the others laughing from the sight, Hijikata kicked the chair aside that were blocking the group from his distance.

_“Oi, oi, oi. Seems like these naughty cats are having too much fun, huh?”_

The three feline-looking Amanto turned their attention to him with a glare.

“Hah?! What the hell did you just called to us, you bastard?!” One of the Amanto holding up the younger man yelled to him, now pushing the other man away from his grip.

“Don’t you know who we are, idiot?!” The other backed up with a threat. “We’re one of the higher embassies of the Amanto Embassy!”

“You better watch your fucking mouth at speaking to us, _weakling._” The last one spoke with a leer, earning laughter from the other two.

“I don’t really care whatever you three are,” Hijikata deadpanned, showing out his badge. “But you three would probably have to watch _yourselves_ with those actions.”

“A policeman? Hah! You’re just nothing like the others!”

One of the Amanto then pounced to him with a yell and Hijikata simply flicked up his sword and swiftly turned his body aside, slamming the back of his blade right to the Amanto’s exposed nape. The Amanto crashed down to a nearby table and never backed up, earning Hijikata a threatening hiss from the other two.

“You bastard—?!”

“Last call, you two rascals,” Hijikata growled back with a growl. “We’ll surely have _fun_ if this keeps up. Isn’t that what you fucking bastards want?”

Within a snap, the two Amanto charged towards him and swiftly slashed their unsheathed claws to Hijikata. Hijikata stepped back and kicked the chair to the one’s direction, holding it back as he deflected the attack the other blew right to his blade. Hijikata pushed the other away and pulled his sheath from his side, pounding it hard to the other’s neck before it could even take another stance up. A chair was thrown to Hijikata that he cut his blade through towards to the last Amanto that was now startled from the move he had taken, taking a chance to land a strike up to its chin that made the alien flew back to the wall. With the last stance he took, Hijikata struck the tip of his blade’s handle to the last Amanto that managed to get up to its feet, only to meet the crushing force of the handle against its eye.

After the last Amanto dropped off to the floor, the other staggering one just cowered away with a wail while pulling its two other companion out of the bar, escaping the rampant man that just beaten them up. It just made Hijikata to stare down to them with a cold gaze to his cerulean orbs, sending a last threat to them before they fled away.

Flicking his lighter up to his stubbed cigarette, Hijikata lit it up and turned back to the beaten man— only to meet the widened orbs of the young, bespectacled man.

_“… Y-You…”_

Hijikata stared back and found himself fixed to his place, a cold chill running down to his spine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! It's nice to see you again around here! I'll just note that the schedule of the updates wouldn't be predictable— so please do look forward around here!


	3. Chapter 3

_"W-Wait a minute!"_

Hijikata paused from his way out of the bar.

He didn't intended to look like he was trying to run away from making a mess inside, but he felt an urge to do so as soon as he witnessed the other man's dulled orbs turned into a hopeful one. It wasn't a problem, Hijikata has been thinking repeatedly inside his head. Otherwise, his mind doesn't give any reason why it wasn't supposed to be a problem— let alone to say what he just found by simply looking at the younger man.

_It’s just like a pl—_

"E-Excuse me, s-sir!" The younger adult desperately gasped as soon as he reached behind Hijikata.

Hijikata simply turned and faced the other man again, only to catch a surprised expression of the old owner of the bar on his peripherals.

"What?"

"... I-I..." The younger male muttered as he held close his arms to his lap. "S-"

"You don't have to thank me," Hijikata simply replied back too quickly, only to make himself shut up after realizing it too late. "... Wait, what? Are you just about to apo—"

_"S-Sorry for the trouble!"_ The younger man aggressively yelled as he bowed down his head, surprising not only Hijikata at the moment, but also Otose that has watching them from afar.

"Why the hell are you even—"

"I-I'm sorry if you have to bother yourself to save a pathetic man like me!" The younger man sniffed as he continuously bowed down. "I'm sorry if I caused you trouble! S-Sorry for being such a _path—_"

"You don't _even_ have to apologize, goddamnit!" Hijikata bit back from the exclamation of the younger man, startling him from his streak of apologizes. "If you have that energy to apologize being pathetic, then you should just use it to protect yourself!"

The sudden silence of the bespectacled man only made Hijikata to snap temporarily back from his irritation. Seeing the younger man to step back with his lowered head simply make him more irritated from the fragility of the other. He wasn't even sure why he had been finding himself torn between concern and irritation, but the recognition he had with the bespectacled man just connected to his earlier thoughts while recalling back the events on the space terminal…

After it took like forever, the bespectacled man simply bowed once again before he ran back to the kitchen behind the bar. It left Hijikata confused, let alone the intrigued elder on the corner pouring another glass of booze on his glass.

"Come," Otose called to him.

Hijikata found himself back to the counter with the drinks in front of him. Maybe he took too much booze not only to be reckless, but also for his mind to follow what the older woman had said so. It could be his mind had already taken the respectful demeanor of the older one in such drunken state, anyway. As he contemplates his current state, a soft hush of a smoke from Otose whispered against the deafening silence.

“_He_…” Otose muttered, pulling out the cigarette from her lips. “That young lad had never been that loud ever since he worked in here.”

Hijikata simply took the glass and nursed the offered booze with a consideration.

“He didn’t even bother saying any words— let alone to say his name to me,” Otose continued. “That’s quite a progress to hear his voice that loud… though it’s quite saddening what he spoke about.”

A faint sound of broken glasses being swept was the only noise that fills in the empty responses Hijikata gave. He wasn’t sure what he was supposed to say, but he just let his ears wide open as a return of her consideration to his actions.

“That lad had camped himself out on the alleyway facing this bar for a week,” Otose sighed as she placed the booze next to Hijikata’s glass. “Leaning lifelessly on the garbage with those distant eyes on our bar’s signage… He’s been more pitiful compared to what you have seen earlier, I’d say.”

_‘… Is it related to his search last time?’ _Hijikata thought to himself, pouring another drink to his glass.

Otose let a brief silence to weigh around them, giving a way to the silent slushes of the booze from the glass. Hijikata took a glance towards the older woman and found her eyes softened from the sight of the bespectacled man on the back, silently cleaning the result of the earlier conflict he had been. The longing expression of the woman made him avert his eyes away.

_“Did you ever felt like something’s amiss?”_

Hijikata’s parted lips had almost met the rim of glass at the moment.

_… Something’s amiss…_

“It’s what I’ve been seeing to him ever since then,” Otose heaved out a smoke. “That empty expression of his just didn’t felt like it belongs to his face. It really concerns me since I let him into this place.”

Pursuing his lips into a thin line, Hijikata gazed back to the older woman and paused.

Otose has been watching him all along, and the gentle smile on her lips somehow went along with the warmth of his chest.

_“… You two had the same expression, you know?”_

The faint sweeps of the floor seems to fade for a brief moment.

Hijikata stared.

“… What do you mean?” He muttered quietly with his strict orbs stuck to the woman.

“What I mean is,” Otose blew out another puff of smoke. “… You’ve been wearing the same expression of being lost as well.”

It took a long while before Hijikata could comprehend the said observation to him.

Neither anyone nor Kondo had told him about having such vague state he was currently into. In fact, even Kondo just concluded it to him that he’s been pushing himself hard again— let alone other of his subordinates that didn’t waver from his known, usual burnt state. Yet this woman had said it all— the thing he didn’t even realized it himself.

_Being lost._

He’s been lost from his vague thoughts ever since then.

_But from what?_

_How?_

_… And why?_

Hijikata just brought his palm to his forehead, pressing it hard from the pulsing pain it gives once again. He wasn’t even sure if it was from the sake’s work or to his newly-profound thoughts. The sudden chuckle Otose took just made him glance with his other eye between his parted fingers.

“Seriously… Seems like you’re quite dense yourself as well, aren’t we?” Otose smiled down to him.

“… How could you even say that?” Hijikata scoffed from the mocking statement.

“Let’s just say that I always deal with such a piece of man like yourself,” The woman nodded as a longing smile curved along with her gentle one. “… A lost man wandering across the streets… That’s the people of Kabuki-chou for ‘ya, _police officer.”_

And just like that, Hijikata snickered like it was a joke that he just heard from her.

“Mhm, right,” Hijikata nodded and took last of his sake. “… I guess I’ll make it a night, Otose-san. I’ll just send a bill for making a mess in here.”

“Oh my. You don’t even need to, officer,” Otose chuckled whilst waving her hand. “It was an amusing sight. Besides, you already helped us enough to kick those assholes out. Just leave it to me.”

Glancing to the other man from behind, Hijikata simply nodded to her reply and made his way out of the bar.

_“… Thanks for the company,”_ Hijikata softly spoke and slid the door close.

~

_He swore to gods that he didn’t drink that much alcohol to make his sight hazy as it is right now._

_Just as soon as he left the bar, the buzzing noise inside his head grew louder than before._

_It was like a static noise— disconnected, detached from the reality he was into._

_… Or is it reality he was actually supposed to live into?_

_He brought his hand on his face and leaned to a nearby wall, only the satisfying thud of his head against the concrete grounded him for a second. Then, he found himself slipping down to the ground, tightly gripping his head from the void it gives to his chest. He felt like puking out his guts, but he just felt virtually detached from his body. All that he did is to stare— stare down to the darkened streets he was now unclear with. It was too risky to leave himself unstable in such unsafe vicinity as a police officer he is, yet it was riskier to let himself move out without any thoughts._

_He gave himself a few minutes._

_“Get yourself together, fucking bastard.”_

_The voice sounded too distant for him to recognize his own voice. It made him to gaze up and fell into trance upon seeing a man behind the silver radiance of the moon._

_“… Get yourself together, fucking mayora,” The voice repeated._

_He didn’t take any second thoughts._

_He tackled the man and slammed his own weight over the other opposite to the wall he had been before, pinning the silhouette figure with all of his strength. It felt like a silk yet rough fabric of the figure’s suit has been cutting through his palm, adding the greasy odor of it to make his head more clouded than before. It took him a moment before he could realize that the man wasn’t moving anymore. In fact, both of them didn’t budge for a full minute, staring only to each other with bizarre expression they both have reflected._

_A rear shifted from the other, and the reflection of his expression was captured by the lens he was facing into._

_“… Please bear a little longer, Hijikata-sama.”_

_A blinding light then burned through his retinas._

_Then darkness._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> not gonna lie, but gintama never grew old even though you rewatched them for many times already.


	4. Chapter 4

He opened his eyes.

Only a faint light of the candle broke through the dim-lit place he was currently staring up to. It was his room that Hijikata thought of upon meeting the wooden ceiling of the barracks, but the number of silky threads intertwined at the dusty wood of the place said otherwise. He tried to refocus his senses.

It was definitely not his room— nor could it be their barracks.

Heaving a sharp breath, Hijikata pushed his body up from the thin futon he was lying into. He quickly took a look with his adrenaline pumping up– only to be halted in a second he saw a familiar figure sitting next to him.

The bespectacled man was leaning on the table— sleeping with a towel cradled to his legs.

Hijikata only stared and found himself tracing back to his earlier tracks.

_‘… That silver light?’_

No, it was supposed on the terminal.

He went to the bar— not in that place.

_It didn’t make any sense._

He just spent his night drinking— dealing with a little mess the Amanto made on the place. That boy was also there as those creatures’ riddled toy. A little drink with Otose then followed. And after leaving…

_That drunken state._

_Silver radiance._

_Then a suited figure._

A gasp broke the silence of the room.

Hijikata turned his head to the other male.

“… I’m glad that you’re awake now,” The young man quietly muttered while rubbing his eye. “I-I thought you were—”

“Where are we?”

“At our… my…” Hesitance rose for a second. “… _Ho—_ House.”

“_House_,” Hijikata repeated with his eyes roaming around the place. “… Looks more like an abandoned one.”

Sliding his hand inside his cloth, he pulled out his usual cigarette and lit it up with an ironed lighter. The cold metal of the object didn’t pull out any normality from the oddity, either.

It was surely far from being called a house— having such unlit place and the unusual coldness it brings in. Not only the fact that the door is widely opened to welcome the cold breeze of the night, but the emptiness of the spacious room does make it colder as the young man’s voice.

“… Yes, it is,” The other simply whispered. “I could never call this place a _home that took my everything away_, after all.”

Hijikata heaved out a smoke.

_‘… So much for being too nosy.’_

He just let the empathetic silence rouse for a moment as silent thoughts lingered among themselves.

Hijikata doesn’t really think of him being intrusive when it comes to personal matters, even as much as how he shows his concern to his men contrary to their transparency to him— neither does he could get a quick hint reading other people, let alone a stranger he never seen in his life. Yet, he had a peculiar feeling of distress lingering behind his mind as he observed the younger man earlier spacing out to the floor. There was something that drew him near to this man.

He could hear Otose’s voice repeating the words of their similarity— followed by a soft clink of a ceramic.

“… I made you some tea,” The other man quietly muttered from behind. “This might help you with your hangover.”

Hijikata couldn’t remember when he had been out of the futon and sitting on the porch, let alone as to how long he has been spacing out already. He didn’t bother pondering over as soon as a set of tea was placed next to him with the other man sitting next to it. The pouring of the steaming drink to their cups sounded pleasant from the deafening silence.

“Here,” The man offered to him, only muttering quiet thanks upon taking it.

The warmth of the tea burned pleasantly down to his throat, followed by a quiet resolution.

“… You should’ve stood against them,” Hijikata spoke straight to bespectacled man.

The other stiffened.

“You didn’t strike much of a weak one, you know? Like… It was just odd as what that old woman told tome.”

The moonlight was yet to surface from the dark clouds looming around the starless sky. At least the warmth of the tea comforted its coldness over them.

“You heard her, too… Didn’t you?” Hijikata lastly spoke, tracing the silver lining of the clouds.

Expecting another silence to return, only a repressed voice cracked a response.

“… Yes, I did,” The other rasped with hesitation, hands tightening around the ceramic cup. “I didn’t know she would… notice.”

“Neither did I,” Hijikata retorted with a snort. “But it doesn’t mean that it’s a bad thing.”

With a last sip of the lukewarm tea, Hijikata placed the cup down and stood up. He then took his unscarred sword on the corner of the door before he stepped down to the porch, turning his back to the younger man. He couldn’t help but remember the time his name was called by this man— looking way far from being a determined one than before he called himself a pathetic one.

“… It’s never too late to pick yourself up,” He quietly spoke within the night’s breeze, turning his gaze up to the sky as the moonlight broke through the darkness. “… Even a lost one eventually finds his way back, after all.”

_“… But aren’t you lost as well?”_

_‘… Am I?’_

He frowned and tightened his fist.

“… You _know_ your loss,” Hijikata turned and gazed towards the other man, eyes strict like a gunpoint. “… You should’ve known where _or_ what has been lost— and you’re looking for it,_ aren’t you?_”

Only a stricken look gazed back to him, weighing the words he just has spoken.

“… Keep looking,” Hijikata muttered and gave a final glance to the bespectacled man before turning away.

_“Keep looking with the same determination you had before you called my name.”_

Hijikata then left the desolated building without even looking— only to find what the man had left behind.

...

_There nailed a faded sign where scriptures were engraved into the entrance—_

_‘__恒道館道場__—_ _Koudoukan Dojo._

_Shimura Residence.’_


End file.
